U.S. Worried About Iranian-Hizbullah Influence in Latin America
The commander of U.S. forces in Latin America expressed concern over increasing Iranian and Hizbullah activities throughout the region and said the Shiite group was involved in drug trafficking in Colombia.
"We have seen… an increase in a wide level of activity by the Iranian government in this region," including the opening of six new embassies in Latin America during the last five years, Navy Admiral James Stavridis told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.
"That is a concern principally because of the connections between the government of Iran, which is a state sponsor of terrorism, and Hizbullah," Stavridis, who oversees U.S. military interests in the region as head of U.S. Southern Command, said.
The admiral”s comment came in response to a question from a senator seeking more information about concerns first raised by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates before the same committee in January. The secretary accused Iran of engaging in what he called "subversive" activity in several places in Latin America. He called newly-opened Iranian offices in Central and South America "fronts" for interfering in local affairs.
Stavridis said Hizbullah activities in South America have been concentrated particularly in the border region between Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, but also in Colombia.
"We see a great deal of Hizbullah activity throughout South America, in particular. (The) tri-border of Brazil is a particular concern, as in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, as well as (other) parts of Brazil and in the Caribbean Basin," he said.
"We have been seeing in Colombia a direct connection between Hizbullah activity and narco trafficking activity," the commander added, without providing specifics.
Stavridis said the U.S. has good cooperation with the tri-border countries and that it receives what he called a "reasonable level" of information about what goes on there.